I had been thinking of using a Sugino triple in an upcoming build, but I think this IRD Touring Triple Defiant crank is prettier and more classic. It looks a lot like a Stronglight 99 crankset.It is a lot more expensive though. Has anyone used this IRD crankset and what kind of results did you get?IRDtriple by vonfilm, on Flickr

...and it appears both use the "triplizer" configuration: small ring bolts to middle ring, rather than directly to the crank arm. It probably works fine, until you need to replace the middle ring, which neither VO nor IRD list as a separate item, AFAIK.

MY favorite LBS discouraged me on using the VO Grand Cru triple saying it was harder to fit. He said the Sugino triple was much easier. I would really like to find out other peoples' real world experience with them as they are such a beautiful component.

On my 73 Super Sport I used a NOS Stronglight 99, but that was more difficult to acquire and has French thread besides.

This thing is a knockoff of the Sugino Mighty Tour. The Mighty Tour had a similar configuration, i.e, no 74mm drilling, and stock came w/three 110mm BCD, so using an old Sugino Mighty Tour, you would need a triplizer ring as well. IRD actually does sell triplizer:

One way that this beats the original Sugino Mighty Tour hands down is bottom bracket. The IRD/VO version uses a symmetrical 122 bb. The Sugino Mighty Tour used 118mm asymmetric that had a +7 asymmetry on drive side IIRC. Try finding something like that these days. I've had a fair amount of experience fitting up Sugino Mighty/Mighty Tour. I don't think they are particularly difficult, other than the offset deal on the triple, but I have a hard time imagining that something modern from IRD or VO would be more difficult. I would use their bottom bracket recommendation, maybe even buy one of their bottom brackets that they assure you should work, and if it doesn't, get back to them.

I'd be interested in hearing why the LBS thinks they are hard to fit up. I've not seen one in person, but judging from the pics and writeups and the fact that several vendors are selling this thing, it doesn't seem like it would be some oddball item. But that is just speculation....